An aspiring artist, Fembrogon (who goes by Eric in real life) has been drawing dinosaurs and strange creatures since he was capable of walking and talking, and probably will be for a long time to come. Although energetic and admittedly absent-minded at times, prehistoric life is one of a few subjects which has never failed to engross him wholly. Dinosaurs – theropods in particular – are unsurprising favorites (special shout-outs to the remarkable Dilophosaurus, the massive Giganotosaurus, and the bizarre Deinocheirus); but he admires a wide range of prehistoric life from Cambrian invertebrates to pterosaurs. Fembrogon first discovered the Toy Blog (and Forum) around the year 2012, and found it an indispensable reference for the expanding world of dino collectibles. Since joining the review team, he’s enjoyed covering a varied assortment of figures, from classic to modern and mainstream to obscure. When he isn’t absorbed in prehistory, Fembrogon also enjoys modern wildlife (birds & reptiles are favorites), nature walks, special effects films, and traditional animation.
What is possibly the largest Dinosaur in the Soft Model line to date strides in with the 2020 Favorite lineup; how big and how accurate is it really?
Sauropods remain among the most iconic dinosaur groups; their sheer size, long necks, and often longer tails distinguish them from all other dinosaurs, as well as any extant animals.
Sometimes there’s no avoiding bad timing. Since paleontology is an ever-shifting field of scientific understanding, any artistic or commercial renditions of prehistoric life risk becoming obsolete at the drop of a new find. Such was the case for Safari Ltd., who announced the release of a new Dilophosaurus model for 2020 to replace the previous Wild Safari version – only for a brand-new paper to drop later that same year, providing a new, thorough analysis of all known Dilophosaurus fossils and providing new insight into the Early Jurassic predator’s life appearance.
Although Sinclair’s figurines all resemble their giant sculpture counterparts to some degree, the Stegosaurus is perhaps the most strikingly close of them all, with more grace than typically seen in other artwork for the time.
Stegosaurus has been one of the most recognizable dinosaur genera since its discovery and description in 1877.
Favorite’s take on the classic pre-dinosaur land predator offers a more modern image of the synapsid than most, for its time.
Dimetrodon is one of the quintessential figures in prehistoric life iconography. The sail-backed, quadrupedal carnivore is often mistaken for a dinosaur, but is in fact considered more ancestral to mammals.
Although this DK-inspired poseable figure is alright as a generic theropod toy, it’s a pretty weak depiction of the iconic genus it’s meant to represent.
Dinosaur toy history is a relatively new endeavor of study, be it researching the origins of the hobby in the famous Marx line, or trying to catalogue the onslaught of brand-new models from PNSO.
Although their figures are often confused with the famous Marx line of dinosaurs, Sinclair’s Ankylosaurs has its own share of unique features.
When we think of “retro” dinosaur depictions, many probably think first of tall theropods dragging their tails or the massive sloped shapes of lumbering sauropods.
This model is reconstructed with ample attention to detail for this alien-looking wonder from the Cambrian.
I’ve had a soft spot for the weirdos in nature since my early childhood, so Opabinia has always been a favorite of mine. This 3 inch long stem arthropod was a denizen of the ocean floors during the middle of the Cambrian Period, about 505 million years ago.
The models in this set are a nice set of famous or classic prehistoric genera, but they definitely leave a lot to be desired as interesting renditions of said animals.
Welcome to the third entry of the Z-Cardz review series! Z-Cardz were a constructible card game line by California Creations, which predated the more prolific game lines by companies like WizKids, who officially coined the term for this style of toy.
The Sinclair Triceratops might look quaint to collectors spoiled modern toy brands, but it’s a very finely-made little figurine that’s quite accurate for its time.
I wasn’t too aware of the history of dinosaur toys and collecting until recently, when I came into the acquisition of a few older figurines from my grandparents’ collection.
However you look at it, Opabinia was a remarkably odd-looking creature – so it’s a natural choice for a big cuddly plush toy, right?
I’m guessing most people wouldn’t look at a five-eyed worm with a snaggle-toothed trunk and react with, “Aw, how cute!” Granted, most people aren’t paleontology nerds, either, so your mileage may vary in perspective.
The second set of dinosaurs in the Z-Cardz line reveals some surprising, if questionable, choices going on in the lineup for these little collectibles.
Constructible strategy games are a concept typically involving 3D punch-out card minifigures, which can be collected and utilized for play in large-scale games between players.
